Chapter 36: Meeting The Governor (3)
The Governor did not respond for awhile, his rational having been blown away by the recent series of events. Understandable it was for he was but a normal man, despite his high position and power, but for Bazel's purposes he needed an answer and a guarantee. If it so happened that keeping the Governor under pressure made him more amiable to his position, so be it.
"I do not have all day, answer me so we can be done with this already," said an impatient Bazel, who turned his shadows into small scythes to get his point across.
Perhaps the words did it or perhaps the thinly veiled threat, but the Governor finally recomposed himself and answered.
"You have proven your point, I am a man of high education and even higher standing so I know sound logic when I see it.
"However, my earlier point still stands: You are indeed in conflict with House Sanguis, as you call them. There are a total of five houses, right? Then prove you can at least deal with one, if you can do that then I will be on board. And don't try to threaten me as I will be dead anyways if I go along with you at this point in time and it turns out that you are full of hot air.
"I am not unreasonable though, I will personally act so that the other police departments come to that meeting of yours. Not only that, but I will use some of my emergency spending powers to grant your own department all the money it needs. Lastly, I will also open up the local armory for you.
"Do know that all of this could easily blow up in both of our faces when the legislative branch gets wind of this, though they do operate as slow as a snail with salt poured on it so I imagine you have a week or two."
Understanding that he would not get any more out of the Governor, who suddenly showed a surprising amount of backbone, Bazel removed his threatening shadows and leaned back whilst putting his suit back in order.
"That is fine," began Bazel, "It is just one house as you say and if I cannot deal with that then I will not be able to hope to deal with the rest. I will hold you to what you have said though, come tomorrow I should be able to see everything you promised put into action...else I will be paying you a visit. Perhaps next time I will not be so kind as to break your fall?"
With that said Bazel created another portal and unceremoniously shoved the Governor into it.
The portal closed and with the Governor now gone, all that remained in the van was Bazel and Neto.
"So amigo," started Neto as he took back his machete and placed it back on his side, "how much of that did you actually mean and how much of that was just trying to get the Governor to agree with what you want?
"I know your true goal after all, and that is to get Lily back. Everything else is just the means to the end.
"While I personally want to and will help you, I am someone who has always kept the bigger picture in mind. If it is possible to actually do what you say, for this city to have a fighting chance against these 'nobles', then I want to do just that at all costs.
"You know my background, I worked from the bottom up so that I could give those under me a better life. And a better life I did for the past several years...but as it is now that life is ending and ending fast.
"I have already offered to help anyone who wants to leave the city at once, for even if those guys really do control everything else at least they will not tear up their own territory.
"For the other hundred thousand or so people living here...if I can help them then I want to be able to. So tell me Bazel, how feasible is this plan of yours?"
Under the sincerity of his friend, even the revenge driven Bazel was able to see the light for a moment and answer honestly,
"It is possible, but it all depends on me. I...I can not let Lily be defiled day in and day out, you heard what they said would happen to her. She is the next evolution for them, where she will be forced to open her legs for every one of their 'heirs'. If I fail and the Sanguis men take her away, then I will not be able to stay here. I will have to journey into their territory to snatch her back...
"Without me here the city will lose its only means of truly staying neutral and instead it will have to pick a side quickly before the fighting really starts. But anyone the city tries to get close to will automatically become the enemy of all the other factions, so its a far less optimal solution than my own."
Silence ensued, deafening silence. The kind that allowed one to hear their own heart beat, their own blood pump, and their own doubts to eat away at the mind.
"I understand," said Neto with a somber tone, "I do not have someone like Lily in my life, so I see things differently...but I can still understand what you are going through so I cannot pass judgement.
"I will not say some boorish line like how you are endangering thousands of lives for one, because despite your new looks and fancy abilities you are still as human as the rest of us.
"I only ask that you leave us as best a fighting chance as you can if it really does come down to that, and that you do not halfheartedly do things just so you can get Lily back. For my sake at least and for the sakes of the men who will no doubt be putting their life on the line so that you can be reunited with your family member."
Although Bazel had found it difficult to empathize with much of anything, his entire being suddenly being centered around the singular task of retrieving his loved one, a small crack was made in the wall surrounding his heart with the heartfelt words of Neto.
"I.." began Bazel, his voice cracking slightly, "I will try my best. I am not so lost that I will forget the sacrifices of those under me...well maybe I was just a moment ago, but I will take careful care to remedy that."
And he meant what he said, as the lives of those that were lost during the attack on the Sanguis mansion came to mind. Several men had died that day, all because he had asked the Chief to assist him in his quest who readily gave him whatever he wanted.
'Perhaps this is what Lily was worried about when she gave me those two odd commands, that I was changing mentally. I know that in the past, before all of this mess, I would have no doubt thought of those who lost their lives. Yet now I did not even think of it until Neto reminded me...I saw their deaths as something natural, like they were just an inanimate tool or resource for me to use whenever I so please'
Reaching into his inner pocket, he pulled out the same pocket watch that Lily had asked to see and looked at it.
'Watch out for any changes, watch out for a red outline she said. If she said that then it must mean that the true purpose of this device is to show the changes in myself? If so then that must mean my parents were not simple whatsoever, which would explain my newfound abilities.
'I wonder how this Gift stuff works anyways, does a gift pass strictly from mother to child or is it just increase the chances of activating the gift. How does the father come into play here? Ah so many questions...'
Bazel stared long and hard at the watch, seeing his reflection in the metallic luster of the upper half. His snow white hair and his abyssal black eyes...
'Wait a second...' thought Bazel as a particular part of his previous conversation with Neto played in his mind.
"Neto, what did you mean when you said that I had new looks? Have I not always looked like this?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone